hunter's runaway I sam winchester

welcome to Kiara's kitchen I ch 2

 "I'll get it," she said, smoothing her dress nervously as she walked over. Her friends would finally meet the Winchesters—a big deal, considering how much she'd told them about these two.

Opening the door, she found her friends—Lana, Ella, Victor and Nate—standing there, each holding a bottle of wine. Lana's eyes widened when she saw Sam and Dean, while Nate just nodded, trying to play it cool.

"Wow, Kiara, you didn't tell us you had such *interesting* friends," Ella said, her eyes lingering on Dean before flicking to Sam with a knowing smile.

Kiara laughed, giving her friends quick hugs. "These are the Winchesters. Sam, Dean, meet Ella, Lana, Nate and.." she smiles to very tall boy "Victor".

Dean and Dean looked at Kiara and Dean gave them his signature grin, taking Ella's hand with a charming "Hey, nice to meet you," while Sam offered Nate, Lana and Victor a handshake.

"Alright, everyone, sit!" Kiara said, waving her hand toward the table. "Everything's ready, and it's getting cold!"

They all settled around the table, with Kiara finding herself seated next to Sam. Her cheeks warmed as he leaned closer, brushing his shoulder against hers as he passed her the bread.

"You did an amazing job, Kiara," he whispered, his eyes meeting hers in a way that made her stomach flutter.

"Thanks," she replied, her voice softer than usual. She could feel her pulse quicken with him this close, but she forced herself to focus on the group's conversation.

"So, Kiara tells us you guys are like...travelers?" Victor asked, looking between Sam and Dean.Dean smirked. "Yeah, something like that. We're always on the road, you know? Not much of a routine, but it keeps things interesting."

Ella raised an eyebrow. "Sounds mysterious. You guys ever get tired of it?"

Sam shrugged. "Sometimes, yeah. But there's something nice about having a few people you can always count on."

At that, Kiara felt a soft nudge under the table, and she glanced over to see Sam giving her a small smile.

They all dug into the food, complimenting Kiara's cooking between bites and stories. Dean and Ella hit it off, trading jokes and laughing until Ella's cheeks turned pink. Meanwhile, Victor and Nate seemed fascinated by Sam's quiet demeanor, occasionally throwing questions his way about their "travels."

After a while, Kiara and Sam found themselves side-by-side on the couch as Victor, Ella, Nate and Dean attempted to explain some wild game that had them yelling and laughing. Lana was busy texting, giving Kiara and Sam a rare moment alone.

"You look happy tonight," Sam said, his voice soft.

Kiara looked up at him, surprised by the tenderness in his tone. "I am. This feels...nice. Just having everyone together like this."

Sam nodded, "It's good to see you happy. I feel like we don't get enough of these kinds of nights."

She tilted her head, studying him. "You know you can come by anytime. I mean it, Sam. You and Dean—this place is always open to you."

He looked at her, his gaze intense, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. 

Just then, Dean and Victor's laughter broke the moment. Dean looked over, "Hey, lovebirds, you're missing the fun here!"

Kiara rolled her eyes, tossing a pillow at Dean. "We're just talking!"

"Talking, huh?" Dean teased, winking at Sam. "Yeah, okay, I'll believe that."

Sam chuckled, shaking his head as he muttered, "Subtle, Dean. Real subtle."

As the night wore on, the group played a game of cards, with Ella and Dean becoming fiercely competitive. After a while, Nate stood, stretching. "Alright, guys, it's been amazing, but we should get going, its past 1 am and we all have work." as they all get up ready to leave.

After a round of goodbyes and promises to meet again soon, Kiara walked her friends to the door, giving each a quick hug. 

Lana, her first NYC friend, was last to leave. She pulled Kiara close, dropping her voice to a playful whisper, "Girl, you never told me you and Sam have a... thing."

Kiara's eyes widened as she tried to keep a straight face, only to feel her cheeks betray her with a quick blush. "What? No, Lana, it's not—there's no thing," she said, brushing off the idea.

Lana raised a brow, a smirk on her lips. "Mhm, right," she teased, folding her arms. "I know a look when I see one, okay? Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." She gave Kiara a wink, before lowering her voice further. "I just hope Victor didn't pick up on it."

As the door shut and her friends disappeared down the hallway, Kiara stopped for a moment, her mind going back to Victor. They never really said what they were, but at one point, both knew there was more than friendship between them. Yet somehow, they'd decided not to cross the line into anything official. It was easier to say they were "just friends," even if that didn't stop her heart from skipping whenever he was around.

When she turned back, Dean was already stretched out on the couch, looking more comfortable than ever. "Mind if I crash here tonight?" he asked, already knowing her answer.

"No Dean," she replied with a laugh. "I will drive you to your motel"She glanced at Sam, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed as he watched her with that thoughtful look of his. She grabbed some blankets from her closet and handed them to Dean, who grinned, already half-asleep. "Thanks, kiddo," he mumbled, closing his eyes as soon as he was comfortable.

Sam followed her down the hallway to the big bedroom. She set some fresh sheets on the bed, feeling Sam's presence close behind her.

"Thanks for tonight, Kiara," he said, his voice low. "It's... rare that we get nights like these."

She looked up at him, her heart pounding. "I'm glad you came. I've missed you. Both of you."

He reached out, resting his hand on her arm, and she felt her pulse quicken. "You know you don't have to be alone, right?"

His words caught her off guard, and she looked up into his eyes, searching for something. "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath, his gaze intense. "If you ever feel like this life you're living, all this...isn't enough—you've got people who care about you."
They stood in silence for a moment before he gently let go of her arm, offering her a small smile. "Goodnight, Sam," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she exited closing the door.